For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Read Chapter 18
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Country; people fighting in great numbers. But the army of Absalom was soon dispersed. (Haydock)
Consumed, viz., by pits and precipices: (Challoner) "wild beasts. "(Syriac) Many also died of their wounds, and were slain in the wood; (Calmet) so that not less, probably, than 50,000 perished on this fatal day. (Haydock)
Let us therefore, beloved, consider what sort of glory that of the seditious is, and what their condemnation [is]. For if he that rises up against kings is worthy of punishment, even though he is a son or a friend, how much more the one who rises up against the priests! For by how much the priesthood is more noble than the royal power, since its concern is for the soul, so much has the one a greater punishment who ventures to oppose the priesthood than the one who ventures to oppose the royal power, although neither of them goes unpunished. For neither did Absalom nor Abdadan escape without punishment; nor Korah and Dathan. The former rose against David, and strove concerning the kingdom; the latter against Moses, concerning preeminence. And they both spoke evil; Absalom of his father David, as of an unjust judge, saying to every one, “Your words are good, but there is no one that will hear you, and do justice. Who will make me a ruler?” But Abdadan [said], “I have no part in David, no...
